Mayor Bill de Blasio came to Flushing Tuesday morning to announce that the Lunar New Year will be an official public school holiday beginning in the 2015-16 school year, allowing students of Asian descent to celebrate with family without missing class.

Celia Dosamantes confirmed to The Courier that she will run in the upcoming special election for the 23rd District seat, which Councilman Mark Weprin vacated Friday to begin a new role with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

A virtual who’s who of Ridgewood and Bushwick joined the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society in celebrating the completion of the historic Vander Ende-Onderdonk House’s new roof during its Raise the Roof event on Thursday night.

Facing community and political opposition, the MTA and the city Department of Transportation slammed the brakes on a proposed dedicated bus lane for the limited Q44 bus line on Main Street in Kew Gardens Hills.

Looking to make it easier for ships and barges to navigate, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will dredge the main channel leading into Flushing Bay beginning this fall, Representatives Joe Crowley and Grace Meng announced Thursday.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is calling upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s inspector general to investigate potential fraud in the insurance claims process for people who were affected by Hurricane Sandy.